I haven't seen this movie, but I did read a newspaper interview with the author of the book the movie is based on a while back.

(Coming here to TMDB, I was surprised the story was released as a movie, since I thought [perhaps incorrectly] that it was originally supposed to be a Netflix series)

Anyway, according to the interview, the monsters (there is more than one) are aliens, and the world Bullock and the others are inhabiting is the aftermath (of an alien conquest).

@northcoast said:

Anyway, according to the interview, the monsters (there is more than one) are aliens, and the world Bullock and the others are inhabiting is the aftermath (of an alien conquest).

Interesting if unsatisfactory. I think one thing this production did right was to never show the monster...hence the speculation.

I think the biggest and most obvious monster is the person at Netflix who keeps on okaying these films and keeps insisting that Netflix should be in the movie making business and keep making these stinkers.

@aholejones said:

I think the biggest and most obvious monster is the person at Netflix who keeps on okaying these films and keeps insisting that Netflix should be in the movie making business and keep making these stinkers.

Yep, there were too many lame clichés. The ending disappointed me too.

One thing bothered me. They were living in a river adjacent town with boats available so it's safe to assume people there fish. I kept wondering why no one bothered to use/or jury rig a boat sonar or fish finder to be able to get around? It's not like the stores there wouldn't have had them.

I have not seen the movie only heard about it. From the five things you mention, an alien invasion (being the monster) seems illogical, unless the 'alien invasion' is itself is a metaphor for something else. I have heard, rather read, that the film alludes to the quandary of willful blindness to 'racism' or any other major problem in America. It is a rather bleak and dark picture at that but here is what I think is meant. People can ONLY survive by deliberately ignoring something they can plainly see because they are unwilling to do anything about it. That might explain why blind and crazy people are not affected. In the allusion, they will represent the people who are doing something about it or at least have no participation in it. It might help if you forget the racism angle and simply consider...say ... those willful 'global warming' deniers.

@Thespear said:

I have not seen the movie only heard about it. From the five things you mention, an alien invasion (being the monster) seems illogical, unless the 'alien invasion' is itself is a metaphor for something else. I have heard, rather read, that the film alludes to the quandary of willful blindness to 'racism' or any other major problem in America. It is a rather bleak and dark picture at that but here is what I think is meant. People can ONLY survive by deliberately ignoring something they can plainly see because they are unwilling to do anything about it. That might explain why blind and crazy people are not affected. In the allusion, they will represent the people who are doing something about it or at least have no participation in it. It might help if you forget the racism angle and simply consider...say ... those willful 'global warming' deniers.

Interesting. I was talking with a few of my cousins tonight, and they were trying to discuss what the meaning of the film was for them also. I did not think of this perspective, but thank you. It is another way to view the film.

I liked the movie up to the point of the scene in the rapids, the way it is presented is unreal that those kids did not drown in the river, besides, those birds how did they survive if the small canoe capsized and everyone was way under water. ?,I lost any credibility and my interest.

@aholejones said:

I think the biggest and most obvious monster is the person at Netflix who keeps on okaying these films and keeps insisting that Netflix should be in the movie making business and keep making these stinkers.

Well, sadly I think if Netflix doesn't stay in the production business there's not going to be any business to have. It seems everyone is sequestering their content to their own platforms, commercials and all. For this reason, I'm still a fan of Netflix, even as they flail about. Oh, and I thought this particular production was better than many of their offerings, especially of late.

@Thespear said:

People can ONLY survive by deliberately ignoring something they can plainly see because they are unwilling to do anything about it. That might explain why blind and crazy people are not affected.

Now this is interesting. And given the various analogies, even in your post, it makes me respect them even more for not only not defining the literal monster, but an allegorical one. Very interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing!

Given that the monster even influenced people watching from a distance on a remote tv screen seemed hard to swallow. That made it seem more supernatural than anything else. Still, the idea that crazy people could see them without problems seemed intriguing. Would that mean that people under the influence of LSD or similar drugs would be immune too?

@rvcanuck said:

Given that the monster even influenced people watching from a distance on a remote tv screen seemed hard to swallow. That made it seem more supernatural than anything else. Still, the idea that crazy people could see them without problems seemed intriguing. Would that mean that people under the influence of LSD or similar drugs would be immune too?

Well, one recurring theme was "you need to see the Truth...it's beautiful" which goes hand-in-hand with the idea that people choose to live with blinders on rather than engage in that level of harsh reality. BTW, I've enjoyed this thread almost as much as the film, which says something of the quality of the film's narrative!

People can ONLY survive by deliberately ignoring something they can plainly see like the dangers of immigration because they are unwilling to do anything about it. That might explain why blind and crazy people are not affected.

Ray,

Do you think reasonable arguments can be made for and against immigration? Do you think similar arguments can be made for and against say 'racism' or'the idea that the planet's climate is changing'? Disagreeing with someone or some idea is NOT the same as wilfully IGNORING. them! This movie is aimed at the latter.

Well, one of my favorite channels has added this contribution:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiTaYglOlnY

But I like the theories here even more. Nice job TMDB! :D